| Battle of Xiapi | |||||||
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| Forces | |||||||
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| Cao Cao's Forces Liu Bei's Forces |
Lu Bu's Forces Yuan Shu's Forces | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| Cao Cao Liu Bei |
Lu Bu † | ||||||
The Battle of Xiapi (下邳之戰) was fought between Lu Bu and the allied forces of Cao Cao and Liu Bei, resulting in Lu Bu's capture and execution.
Battle[]
Cao Cao and Liu Bei allied against Lu Bu, who was becoming a threat in Xu Province. Cao Cao sent 50,000 troops under Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Lu Qian, and Li Dian to fight Lu Bu's army. Cao Cao commanded the center army, which marched by divisions, and Jian Yong brought up the rear. Soon the scouts informed Gao Shun. He sent messengers to Lu Bu, who detatched 200 horsemen with Hou Cheng, Cao Xing, and He Meng to assist him. Gao Shun posted this reinforcement and his army about ten miles from Xiaopei to meet Cao Cao's army. Lu Bu and the main army also followed close. When Liu Bei saw the enemy retiring from the city, he knew Cao Cao's army was close at hand. So, making arrangements for guarding the city within, he and his two brothers marched their troops out of the city and made a camp, that they might be ready to assist. Xiahou Dun's division first came into touch with Gao Shun. Xiahou Dun at once rode out with spear set and offered a challenge. Gao Shun was beaten, and tried to flee. But Xiahou Dun was not the man to quail and gave chase. Just then, Cao Xing fitted an arrow into his bow and hit Xiahou Dun's left eye. Xiahou Dun shrieked, and putting up his head, pulled out the arrow and with it the eye. He put the eye into his mouth and swallowed it, and went after the new enemy. Cao Xing tried to flee, but Xiahou Dun stabbed him in the face with his spear, and both sides were stricken dumb with amazement. Xiahou Yuan defended for his elder brother as he fled, and the army withdrew to Jebei temporarily. Next, Lu Bu, Gao Shun, and Zhang Liao attacked the army of Liu Bei to smite Guan Yu. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were attacked from the rear and forced to flee. Most of Liu Bei's army had fled Xiapi, giving it to Lu Bu's Forces. Cao Cao sent 3,000 soldiers under Cao Ren to retake Xiapi, in conjunction with Liu Bei. As they reached the Mangdang Hills, they routed 30,000 of Lu Bu's allies. Afterwards, Chen Gong and Chen Deng withdrew from the hills and fell back to Xuzhou. Lu Bu considered a desperate attack, but Zhang Fei attacked him from the rear and took Xuzhou. Lu Bu and his army were now holed up in Xiapi Castle, the one place that they had left. Liu Bei left commanders Mi Zhu and Jian Yong to garrison Xuzhou, while he took Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Sun Qian with him to attack Xiapi, along with Cao Cao's main force. Lu Bu's advisers Xu Si and Wang Kai advised him for a marriage alliance, between his daughter Lu Lingqi and Yuan Shu to gain his support. But he would only accept the alliance if the female arrived before he sent his troops, so Lu Bu agreed. Lu Bu also allied to Zhang Yang, but he learned that his officer Yang Chou had killed him, who was in turn killed by Sui Gu. Xun Yu, Cao Cao's strategist, later came up with a plan to capture Xiapi. He wanted a flood attack, and Cao Cao agreed with joy. Only the east gate remained clear of water, but otherwise, the entire castle was flooded. In the flood, Lu Bu's general Hou Cheng lost fifteen horses but by killing Hou Cao, one of his subordinates, he recovered them. He sent wine to Lu Bu, who was surprisingly infuriated, saying that he had banned brew. He planned to execute Hou Cheng, but Wei Xu and Song Xian intervened so he decided not to kill him. All three defected. Wei Xu and Song Xian seized Lu Bu in his sleep and bound him with cords, trussing him so that he could not move. Soon, Gao Shun and Zhang Liao surrendered. Chen Gong tried to flee, but was captured by Xu Huang before he could do so. Gao Shun and Lu Bu were brought forwards to speak with Cao Cao. Gao Shun sulkily held his tongue out at Cao Cao and was ordered to execution. Chen Gong pleaded to be executed by Cao Cao, and the tearful Cao Cao reluctantly had him killed and buried in Xuchang in a coffin as honor to him. Cao Cao had Lu Bu hanged for treason, and had Zhang Liao executed. But Liu Bei begged for his life, as he was generous-hearted, and he was allowed the rank of Imperial Commander and the title of Lordship. All of Lu Bu's living generals and family were allowed to serve Cao Cao, except for his general Chang Xi, who remained obdurate. Cao Cao seized Xu Province, leaving Liu Bei in charge. The threat that was Lu Bu was finally extinguished after seven years of conflict.
Notable Members[]
Lu Bu's Forces[]
Captured and executed by Cao Cao
Captured and executed by Cao Cao
Captured and executed by Cao Cao
Surrendered
Surrendered
Surrendered
Surrendered
Captured by Cao Cao
